Taste of the Sea
by ladyoftheLights
Summary: Annabeth Chase is utterly fed up with Percy and Rachel, and having to play the waiting game for someone you love ... but is the waiting finally over? A/N: Annabeth IS OOC - I'm sorry - and she sounds British because I'm British - sorry again - other than that, please enjoy!


"Don't talk to me, Seaweed Brain!" I rage for what seems like the millionth time this week. My anger is flaring up again, but I can't help it. He's so aggravating.

"Oh come on, Annabeth!" Percy tries desperately to reason with me. But all he's doing is annoying me further with his pitiful look which quickly turns to rage too.

I don't even understand why all we've been doing is arguing recently. Perhaps it may be due to the presence of a certain Miss Rachel Dare whom Percy will not stop harping on about _all the time_. No matter how snarky, sarcastic, cold or cutting my remarks get, the message that I don't care about Rachel doesn't seem to reach Percy's stupid brain.

"Alright then, Wise Girl; have it your way. You don't have to talk to her. But that means not talking to me either!"

"Fine!" I retort angrily, pushing my chin forwards in defiance and crossing my arms.

"Fine." He argues back before turning on his heel and flouncing off down the corridor to where Rachel is standing awkwardly by a bookcase, her red hair scooped up into a top knot and a garnish of daisies adorning her head. I watch Percy stomp off down the sleek polished corridor, seeing his dark hair swish slightly. I can't help myself thinking that that boy needs a hair cut. But I see the pitiful look that Rachel is giving me and I glare back at her.

So she's pretty. So she makes him laugh. So she's a mortal who understands but is never in danger. So Percy never stops talking about her. So _what_!

I too flounce off down the opposite end of the corridor, wiping the tears of rage out of my eyes. But Annabeth Chase _never_ cries.

There are squeaky footsteps behind me, coming quicker and quicker until there is a flash of red hair and bright colours in my peripheral vision and there she stands; the prodigy herself.

"Can't we try and work something out? For Percy?" Rachel has confronted me but is actually looking rather scared of me.

I narrow my eyes at her. To tell the truth, her tie-dye t-shirt and ripped jeans are making my eyes hurt. In any other mood it wouldn't bother me, but just because it's _her_ it's annoying.

"No," I say simply and try to carry on walking.

"Come on, Annabeth," she says, boldly.

Who does this girl think she is?

"Without trying to sound rude, _Rachel_," I say slowly and dangerously. "I'd like you to get out of my line of sight so I can go home,"

"That wasn't rude at all," she says haughtily and sarcastically.

_Keep it together, Annabeth. Stay calm. Keep breathing. In … out … in …_

My inner calming techniques aren't working as well as I hoped but it's all I can do not to damage Rachel and her pretty face.

"Annabeth, you need to see that Percy doesn't want to keep falling out with you! He told me-"

I round on her immediately, and step up to her more, drawing myself up to my full height. I'm not meaning to be aggressive, but I'm just so damn angry with that boy right now. "_What _has Percy told you?" I demand.

"Hey, hey," Rachel holds her hands up in a surrender. "Nothing personal; only that you guys are super close,"

"Look, this really is none of your business," I reply curtly and attempt to step around her. Rachel blocks me again. This girl is beginning to really piss me off.

"I know its not; but Percy is my friend too,"

"Bye, Rachel," I say and push past her into the sunlight of the school grounds, allowing myself to bask in the summer sunshine which I've missed so much in the past cold winter months. I can hear Rachel calling my name but I ignore her. Crossing over to the metal rack, I pull out my orange bicycle from the guard and mount my trusted bike, setting off without another glance in Rachel's direction.  
I begin to cycle home down the dusty streets. I can feel the heat rising from the concrete below me and I'm conscious that the dazzling sunlight is making visibility difficult. But I needn't worry; my ADHD will make sure I don't have an accident.

Considering my options, I could pray to Aphrodite or even my least favourite goddess, Hera to help me out here. But I remember my meeting with Hera last year; I don't think I'd go straight to the top of her priority list.

I am enjoying feeling the wind in my hair, playing across my face and teasing my hair. The sunlight caresses my cheeks and calms me down, but by the time I pull up home, everything I lost whilst cycling has caught up with me in a fast heavy rush.

I dig out my house keys from the pockets of my denim shorts and unlock the door.

"I'm home," I call out into the vast hallway. I can smell my step mom cooking in the kitchen. I don't need to go and talk to her. She doesn't exactly enjoy being in the same room as me anyway.

"Hey, Annabeth," she calls back. "How was school?"

By this point I'm halfway up the stairs. "Fine," I yell in response and run up to my room before she can try and initiate a more solid conversation: I just want to be alone. I close the door of my bedroom and lean back on it, closing my eyes briefly and letting out the breath I didn't even realise I have been holding. Managing to drag my feet over to my bed I flop down on my back and stare at the ceiling.

My ceiling is the best part of my room; painted dark blue with the stars and constellations in their respective places. As of now, I find myself lying on my double bed staring up at said ceiling, studying the constellations; Orion, Capricorn, Sagittarius. Betelgeuse the red star, Sirius, Jupiter and right in the middle, the North Star glows brighter than the others.

"Annabeth?"

I turn my head towards my door and see my stepmom in the doorway. I sit up to appear respectful. "Hi," I say, clearing my throat and self consciously running my fingers through my blonde curly hair.

"Are you alright?" She asks, looking at me closely.

"Sure," I say. "Why?"

"Because you're crying,"

"Son of Zeus," I say loudly, jumping off the bed and flying to my mirror. Sure enough, I have tear tracks on my face which I hadn't even realised had been there.

My stepmom regards me slightly nervously and awkwardly. "Annabeth, if you want someone to talk to, I'm here for you," she says quietly.

"Oh thanks. I'm OK," I reply, and clear my throat again. She leaves and I wipe away the tears from my cheeks quickly and furiously.

_Ring ring_.

Oh what.

_Ring ring_.

I check the caller ID on my mobile warily and see its Percy who is trying to get hold of me. I snort. As if I'm going to answer that. I let the small stiff body ring on my bedside table until the annoying sound has died out. I head over to my window where I perch precariously on the sill and study my room. It's clean and carefully constructed; blue prints from the Labyrinth and Daedalus' workshop line my walls, spaced in equidistance and perfectly straight on the off white walls. The large window fills my haven with natural light and my steel study desk with the glass table top is situated next to the window, my bed on the north wall.

The only colour in my room other than the blueprints is my corkboard that hangs above my bed; on it, I have pinned quick architectural sketches, movie tickets and pictures of Percy and I (which looking at now make me feel a mixture of hurt, anger and something fluffy in my stomach). The sheets on my bed are the colour of my eyes; _stormy gray_, Percy calls them. And small embroidered owls are on the right hand corner of the pillow cases; the mark of Athena. My ripped and stained Camp Half-Blood t-shirt is the only scruffy thing lying around. This eventually annoys me so much that I leave my perch on my window and shove it in the laundry basket outside my room.

_Ring ring_.

What _now_!

_Ring ring_.

Checking caller ID, I snort again; it's an unknown number. _Nice try, Seaweed Brain_, I think to myself with a roll of my eyes. _If Rachel calls me, that would be the icing on the bloody cake_.

To distract myself, I take place at my desk, pick up a pencil and begin to sketch a new building – but I find myself uninspired, and quite frankly, too annoyed with Percy and Rachel to do anything.

"This is so STUPID!" I say out loud without meaning to and I throw my face into my hands.

There's a voice at the door, which in my current emotional state is hard to place and recognise. "What's wrong, Annabeth?"

"Bloody Percy and bloody Rachel and bloody EVERYTHING!" I suddenly start to cry and I can't help myself. I don't even bother to convince myself that I don't cry, I just let everything out, leaning over my desk with my head in my hands not bothering to turn around and see who it is asking me what's wrong.

I don't even notice the familiar, strong arms that wrap around me, pulling me up so I can be hugged properly, the scent that I love or the soothing voice in my ear. That is until, I do realise.  
I push Percy away angrily.

"THIS IS YOUR ENTIRE FAULT, PERCY JACKSON!" I yell, still sobbing.

"Annabeth-"

"I DON'T EVER CRY AND NOW YOU'VE TURNED ME INTO A MESS!"

"Please calm down,"

"Is Rachel witnessing my breakdown!" I yell, throwing my arms into the air like a crazy person.

"No," Percy remains extremely calm. "Rachel has gone home; she told me that you were upset and that I should try to talk to you." He steps forward to me, his arms open. "Come here,"

Without a second thought, I fold myself into his arms and we sit on the end of my bed, just in silence as I struggle to pull myself together and form a calm, coherent sentence.

But as I look up into those beautifully stunning sea green eyes of him which seem to shift and change, like the unpredictable ocean itself, there is a fire with the water, and it's a passion I don't recognise. Before I can ponder this any further, along with the determined look on his face, Percy leans forward and presses his lips against mine. For a moment, I'm stunned but then pull him closer towards me.

He pulls away. "You taste of the sea," I say stupidly.

He laughs. "For the daughter of the goddess of wisdom, you don't half say some stupid things," I open my mouth to argue (possibly with something just as intelligent as the last) but am cut off by Percy kissing me again (probably for the best). He is soft and gentle, but inviting and passionate all at the same time. Percy wraps his arms around me and we fall back on my bed.

"Percy?" I break away and look deep into those beautiful, changeable green eyes. I'm so close to Percy I can pick out every shade and undertone of green and blue and yellow. I can count every single one of his dark lashes and even see my reflection in his pupil.

"Hm?" He replies and gently brushes back a curly lock of blonde hair from my face, pushing it behind my ear and softly kisses me again.

"Do you fancy Rachel?"

"Annabeth," he sighs with a roll of his eyes. "Please ask something intelligent."


End file.
